A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry
Active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce the highest intrinsic luminosities in the Universe from within a compact region. The central engine is thought to be powered by accretion onto a supermassive black hole. A fraction of this huge release of energy influences the evolution of the host galaxy, and in...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-04-01
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| Series: | Galaxies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/6/2/52 |
| _version_ | 1811245603333603328 |
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| author | Beatriz Agís-González Damien Hutsemékers Giovanni Miniutti |
| author_facet | Beatriz Agís-González Damien Hutsemékers Giovanni Miniutti |
| author_sort | Beatriz Agís-González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Active galactic nuclei (AGN) produce the highest intrinsic luminosities in the Universe from within a compact region. The central engine is thought to be powered by accretion onto a supermassive black hole. A fraction of this huge release of energy influences the evolution of the host galaxy, and in particular, star formation. Thus, AGN are key astronomical sources not only because they play an important role in the evolution of the Universe, but also because they constitute a laboratory for extreme physics. However, these objects are under the resolution limit of current telescopes. Polarimetry is a unique technique capable of providing us with information on physical AGN structures. The incoming new era of X-ray polarimetry will give us the opportunity to explore the geometry and physical processes taking place in the innermost regions of the accretion disc. Here we exploit this future powerful tool in the particular case of changing-look AGN, which are key for understanding the complexity of AGN physics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:41:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b8009743e73145e7be6048bbf4423e73 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4434 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T14:41:52Z |
| publishDate | 2018-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Galaxies |
| spelling | doaj.art-b8009743e73145e7be6048bbf4423e732022-12-22T03:28:49ZengMDPI AGGalaxies2075-44342018-04-01625210.3390/galaxies6020052galaxies6020052A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray PolarimetryBeatriz Agís-González0Damien Hutsemékers1Giovanni Miniutti2Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, Allée du 6 Août 19c, B5c, 4000 Liège, BelgiumSpace Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège, Allée du 6 Août 19c, B5c, 4000 Liège, BelgiumDepartamento de Astrofísica, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Campus ESA-ESAC, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28692 Madrid, SpainActive galactic nuclei (AGN) produce the highest intrinsic luminosities in the Universe from within a compact region. The central engine is thought to be powered by accretion onto a supermassive black hole. A fraction of this huge release of energy influences the evolution of the host galaxy, and in particular, star formation. Thus, AGN are key astronomical sources not only because they play an important role in the evolution of the Universe, but also because they constitute a laboratory for extreme physics. However, these objects are under the resolution limit of current telescopes. Polarimetry is a unique technique capable of providing us with information on physical AGN structures. The incoming new era of X-ray polarimetry will give us the opportunity to explore the geometry and physical processes taking place in the innermost regions of the accretion disc. Here we exploit this future powerful tool in the particular case of changing-look AGN, which are key for understanding the complexity of AGN physics.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/6/2/52AGN polarizationX-ray polarizationchanging-look AGN |
| spellingShingle | Beatriz Agís-González Damien Hutsemékers Giovanni Miniutti A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry Galaxies AGN polarization X-ray polarization changing-look AGN |
| title | A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry |
| title_full | A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry |
| title_fullStr | A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry |
| title_short | A Changing-Look AGN to Be Probed by X-ray Polarimetry |
| title_sort | changing look agn to be probed by x ray polarimetry |
| topic | AGN polarization X-ray polarization changing-look AGN |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4434/6/2/52 |
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